Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has claimed there is a new plan by some people in the ruling party to block the African Democratic Congress from taking part in the 2027 general election. He warned that any move to keep the opposition party out of the race would be a serious attack on Nigeria's democracy.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the ADC, raised this alarm in a statement released on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu. He said he had received "credible information" that political and legal actions were being put together to keep the ADC off the ballot.
He believes this move is part of a larger plan to weaken the opposition and prevent Nigerians from freely choosing their next president.
"We are fully aware of their plots. While they seek to sow confusion within the opposition, we know their real target is the ADC because it represents the most credible alternative," Atiku said.
He urged Nigerians, regardless of their political views, to resist what he called attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress to decide which opposition parties can run in the election.
"Our message to the APC and the hooded men plotting in dark chambers is simple: you may conspire, but you will not succeed. If the APC is truly confident in its popularity, why is it so terrified of the ADC?" he asked.
Atiku hopes that the alleged plot will not happen, but he said recent political events make it hard to ignore such warnings.
He pointed out a troubling pattern where institutions that should be neutral get involved in political fights. He said that silly lawsuits, administrative actions, and political pressure are often used against opposition leaders.
"The pattern has become all too familiar. First, institutions that ought to be neutral are drawn into partisan contests. Then, frivolous litigations suddenly gain unusual momentum. Administrative powers are selectively deployed. Political pressure is mounted behind closed doors. Before long, democracy itself becomes the casualty," he said.
He also accused the ruling party of being more interested in political fights than in governance, even as Nigeria faces economic and security problems.
"The obsession with silencing the opposition has become so consuming that governance itself has taken a back seat. At a time when Nigerians are battling hunger, inflation, unemployment, insecurity, and collapsing purchasing power, those entrusted with public office appear preoccupied with political survival rather than national survival," the statement read.
Atiku insisted that the ADC's growing support should be met with fair competition, not interference from institutions. He said elections should be decided by voters, not through legal tricks or administrative action.
"The proper response to a popular political movement is not suppression. It is to present superior ideas before the electorate. Democracies are won at the ballot box, not in back rooms, not through manipulated court processes, and certainly not through the abuse of state institutions," he said.
He warned that stopping the ADC from joining the electoral process would be one of the biggest threats to democracy since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
Atiku also called on the judiciary to stand against political pressure. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, civil society groups, and the international community to stay alert against actions that could hurt the credibility of the electoral process.
"No administration has the constitutional authority to determine which political party Nigerians are permitted to vote for. Sovereignty belongs to the people, not to those who temporarily wield power. The ballot is sacred, and every attempt to tamper with it is an attack on the Republic itself," he said.
He maintained that intimidation, judicial manipulation, and political engineering will not reduce public support for the ADC.
"The desire for change cannot be outlawed. Hope cannot be deregistered. Democracy cannot be subverted by administrative fiat. The will of the Nigerian people will prevail over every conspiracy," Atiku declared.
This statement comes as political movements shift ahead of the 2027 general election. Atiku and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, are using the ADC to build a coalition to challenge the ruling APC.
Reports say that in recent months, both the APC and opposition parties have accused each other of trying to weaken rival political groups through legal actions and internal party issues.
As of now, neither the Presidency, the APC, nor INEC has responded to Atiku's claims.
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